Search found 2279 matches

by Ralf
Fri Mar 22, 2024 2:01 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Machine Code: Moving from Attribute scrolling to pixel scrolling
Replies: 33
Views: 769

Re: Machine Code: Moving from Attribute scrolling to pixel scrolling

If we talk about scrolling, then a good game to discuss is Stormlord: https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/4922/ZX-Spectrum/Stormlord It allows much more variety in background tiles than let's say Cobra. Cobra is actually very limited and allows background built only with a few tiles. Here is my ol...
by Ralf
Thu Mar 21, 2024 11:43 am
Forum: Programming
Topic: Machine Code: Moving from Attribute scrolling to pixel scrolling
Replies: 33
Views: 769

Re: Machine Code: Moving from Attribute scrolling to pixel scrolling

Don't rewrite your game. People are right saying that you can try pixel scroll in your next game.

Just remember, pixel scroll is much harder to do than attribute scroll and requires much more CPU power. Quite often the
only reasonable solution is to use a screen buffer for it.
by Ralf
Tue Mar 19, 2024 8:24 pm
Forum: Preservation
Topic: Fake history
Replies: 16
Views: 711

Re: Fake history

Speaking of Giana Sisters, I believe it existed, mostly or totally completed. Just unlike versions for other computers it didn't reach the shop before Nintendo threatened the legal action. Still I guess it was actually slow and bad. The Amstrad CPC version which exists is very slow and Spectrum vers...
by Ralf
Tue Mar 19, 2024 10:37 am
Forum: Preservation
Topic: Fake history
Replies: 16
Views: 711

Re: Fake history

Yes, it's possible to do such a fake. But there aren't any real money to be made from such fake. Yes, you can make a small fortune by forgery of classical paintings and creating and "unknown" painting of Rembrandt or so and convincing people that it's real. But Spectrum games are different...
by Ralf
Mon Mar 18, 2024 11:18 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Impossible games...
Replies: 24
Views: 872

Re: Impossible games...

What other well-known Spectrum games are technically possible to complete without cheating but, practically, are actually impossible?
Actually most of them. It would be easier to make a short list of games that are actually possible to complete for an average person :)
by Ralf
Fri Mar 15, 2024 5:08 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: With Machine Code how much memory to leave basic
Replies: 7
Views: 299

Re: With Machine Code how much memory to leave basic

And what kind of game are you writing if I may ask?

Are you already struggling with little memory left or are you just checking?
If memory is a problem then you need to consider some optimisations.
by Ralf
Fri Mar 15, 2024 4:11 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: With Machine Code how much memory to leave basic
Replies: 7
Views: 299

Re: With Machine Code how much memory to leave basic

Loading screen shouldn't really be any problem. You load it directly to screen memory while loading and the game later overwrites it. It doesn't occupy any memory when the game is running. Or did you mean something else? A game need some Basic loader. But if you keep it minimal (load loading screen,...
by Ralf
Thu Mar 14, 2024 12:09 pm
Forum: Brand new software!
Topic: My mod of ... Vixen
Replies: 9
Views: 715

Re: My mod of ... Vixen

Thanks for the comments. Yes, there is a problem that enemies sometimes (or maybe quite often) dissappear behind the scenery. It's the problem of the game engine. By default background objects go before the sprites. The exception are white objects which are ORed with sprites. Even if it could be cha...
by Ralf
Wed Mar 13, 2024 7:17 pm
Forum: Brand new software!
Topic: My mod of ... Vixen
Replies: 9
Views: 715

My mod of ... Vixen

Hello everyone ! I succeeded in completing one of my old projects. So there is a game called Vixen. It managed to attract some attention in the past due to that poster stuff, you can read about it if somehow you don't know the story behind it. https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/5589/ZX-Spectrum/V...
by Ralf
Tue Mar 12, 2024 10:19 pm
Forum: Preservation
Topic: Ring-O
Replies: 2
Views: 176

Re: Ring-O

It's this one:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1 ... rum/Ring-O

It's almost like Zuma :lol:
by Ralf
Sun Mar 10, 2024 7:21 pm
Forum: Preservation
Topic: 2 demos
Replies: 4
Views: 298

Re: 2 demos

Just in case if someone doesn't know - "unlimited bobs" is a very well known, classic demo effect.
It's actually a clever but simple trick which doesn't require much CPU power:

https://democyclopedia.wordpress.com/20 ... ited-bobs/
by Ralf
Wed Mar 06, 2024 10:56 pm
Forum: Sinclair Miscellaneous
Topic: Pirates
Replies: 7
Views: 250

Re: Pirates

Was someone on here not working on converting the Sid Meier one, IIRC?
Yep, it's the thread: viewtopic.php?t=1569

I guess that nothing came out of it.
by Ralf
Wed Mar 06, 2024 10:51 am
Forum: ZXDB Discussion
Topic: A request for new tags
Replies: 22
Views: 464

Re: A request for new tags

Interesting idea with "boss" tag. Personally I would just add one global "game boss" tags and didn't go into details. However if you want to go into details then you will have: - endgame bosses (like Draconus) - end level bosses (Renegade) - middle game bosses (Castlevania, game ...
by Ralf
Mon Mar 04, 2024 9:59 pm
Forum: Sinclair Miscellaneous
Topic: Pirates
Replies: 7
Views: 250

Re: Pirates

You should realise that it's not a version of "these" famous Pirates: https://www.mobygames.com/game/214/sid-meiers-pirates/ I've never got deep into it but it seems to be some kind of a turn-based board game where there are two sides, each with its own fleet of ships. But could be interes...
by Ralf
Sat Mar 02, 2024 2:40 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Game versions 48K vs 128K
Replies: 30
Views: 700

Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K

It was discussed many times here and on WOS but I'll leave searching for these old threads for others :) Here you can can check which +3 disk games have some additional content: https://zx-pk.ru/threads/31635-spisok-igr-s-uluchsheniyami-skonvertirovannykh-i-eshche-net-s-3.html (the forum is in Russi...
by Ralf
Fri Mar 01, 2024 9:36 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Could Knight Lore have been (a lot) faster?
Replies: 10
Views: 472

Re: Could Knight Lore have been (a lot) faster?

Yes, probably it could be faster. Hard to say how much however, without getting deep into it. I suppose it wouldn't be an easy job. it cannot be done with one or two pokes and would require a serious rewrite. But I guess that with very good programming it could run at similar speed as Batman or Head...
by Ralf
Fri Mar 01, 2024 6:37 pm
Forum: Emulators
Topic: New multi platform emulator - Speculator
Replies: 12
Views: 790

Re: New multi platform emulator - Speculator

I've tried it and it is really promising - nice looking, easy to install and use.

Currenlty it supports only basic 48kB model but I guess it may change in the future.

Just the name is unfortunate, easy to confuse with Spectaculator.
by Ralf
Thu Feb 29, 2024 2:03 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: ZX Gaming Survey
Replies: 25
Views: 4822

Re: ZX Gaming Survey

I do play recent RPG games for Spectrum if that matters :) I played and completed: https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/30064/ZX-Spectrum/Los_Amores_de_Brunilda https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/17203/ZX-Spectrum/Viking_Quest_2_Heart_of_Town https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/20749/ZX-Spectr...
by Ralf
Wed Feb 28, 2024 6:20 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Devfinitive Edition (Keith Burkhill): discussion
Replies: 11
Views: 310

Re: Devfinitive Edition (Keith Burkhill): discussion

I have mixed opinions of Keith Burkhill works. His version of Commando is simply great. On the other hand I dislike his Ghosts'n'Goblins and could never understand why some people like it. It's smooth but that's all. It is difficult, has bad graphics (small, simplistic and limited) and is only about...
by Ralf
Mon Feb 26, 2024 10:10 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: The 20 games with a <= 10% rating from all three major ZX Spectrum magazines
Replies: 16
Views: 474

Re: The 20 games with a <= 10% rating from all three major ZX Spectrum magazines

Well, I don't know many of them but judging by the screenshots maybe that's better. An interesting case is SAS Operation Thunderflash which is actually an all right looking isometric game. But try to play it and you'll discover very quickly why it got so low notes. It's simply impossible. Some reall...
by Ralf
Sun Feb 25, 2024 2:02 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: The best Speccy game by Infogrames: discussion
Replies: 12
Views: 205

Re: The best Speccy game by Infogrames: discussion

They still exist and some time ago they changed name to Atari but they aren't Atari, my feeling is that they hadn't "moral right" to do it :) But they made good games in the past. My favourite would be North&South. Actually I played it more on PC and Amiga than on Spectrum but the Spec...
by Ralf
Fri Feb 23, 2024 7:14 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Games that made good use of FLASH
Replies: 26
Views: 1563

Re: Games that made good use of FLASH

Neons in Renegade level 3 (Big Bertha level) use flash and it looks quite nice. Maybe it's a cheap trick but it adds a real value to the game. You know, in the 80s I really aprreciated animated background. Leaves on the trees moved by the wind, moving clouds in the sky, flowing and sparkling water, ...
by Ralf
Wed Feb 21, 2024 2:23 pm
Forum: Other Retro Stuff
Topic: Did actual game code get bigger as game machines evolved? (Excluding graphics and audio)
Replies: 19
Views: 726

Re: Did actual game code get bigger as game machines evolved? (Excluding graphics and audio)

As a non-coder, I'm still trying to get some idea of how much code is "enough" for most games? What is a comfortable amount to work with? Let me give you some estimate, how much space is needed for different things in a game: graphics: 5 - 20kB level data: 5 - 20 kB music: 5 kB screen buf...
by Ralf
Mon Feb 19, 2024 12:20 pm
Forum: Other Retro Stuff
Topic: Did actual game code get bigger as game machines evolved? (Excluding graphics and audio)
Replies: 19
Views: 726

Re: Did actual game code get bigger as game machines evolved? (Excluding graphics and audio)

The code got bigger because the games got bigger. If a game has more content then it requires more code to deal with that content. Another thing is a shift from games written in pure assembler to games written in higher languages or a mix of a higher language like C and assembler. It raises an inter...